The University of Southern Maine’s five year plan to make the transformation into Maine’s Metropolitan University was underway long before the metropolitan university proposal was created. USM became a member of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) when it was formed in 1989.

​With over 100 members, CUMU shares a “purposeful commitment to the place in which each resides, an abiding engagement and a mutually beneficial relationship with their communities and the needs of those communities.”

USM has been, and continues to provide, a meaningful partnership with the community through various events, programs and sponsorship’s. With the 5-year plan in place transforming USM into Maine’s Metropolitan University, these community partnerships will become strategic and the entire university will be more involved.

Looking back on the past year, USM has proven that they are well on their way to becoming Maine’s Metropolitan University, solely from the level of community engagement from various programs within the university.

Within the last five months of 2014, USM engaged in a variety of projects, programs and shows involving the surrounding community. In August, 2014 more than 80 members of the USM community affiliated with the University’s School of Music and Department of Theatre took part in the successful PORTopera, Maine State Music Theatre summer productions, and other notable theatre companies in the region.

​USM provided actors, singers, chorus members, musicians, and technical staff to a number of different local organizations, showing the community that they are an important resource to regional art organizations, and that the contributions they already provide are examples of what a metropolitan university does.

In September 2014 it was announced that twelve students from USM had been chosen as the first students in the state of Maine to become part of the new Unum Scholars program. Through this program, the chosen Scholars were hired as Unum employees and worked in a specially-designed team supported by Unum mentors.

They worked as regular paid part-time data specialists, working between 15-19 hours per week and were allowed flexible hours in order to maintain their class schedules.

They were also given the opportunity to job shadow in any area of interest throughout the company, allowing them to explore many different positions and gain a better understanding of how a corporation works.

This program allows students to gain hands-on real work experience while receiving compensation before graduation and simultaneously provides a great recruiting strategy for Unum. Unum Scholars was so successful that Unum recruited another 20 students this past fall.

​This program is a perfect example of USM’s growing engagement with the surrounding business community and how it strives to equally benefit both the university and the surrounding region. Read the full article from the September 2014 USM newsletter here.

USM and the Portland-based arts-education organization, Youth in Action: Side x Side, were recipients of a joint million-dollar grant awarded from the U.S. Department of Education this past October,

It was the first time Maine had been awarded the grant. The grant was to be used for Youth in Action: Side x Side’s “Project Imagine”, a four-year arts-education program in the Portland Public Schools. This grant was a starting point for Side x Side and USM to grow and continue to develop new ways to integrate arts into the school day.Kelly Hrenko, USM assistant professor of art education and USM Art Education Program coordinator said, “Our USM Department of Art will support the professional development of teachers, and our art-education and general-education students will receive direct, engaged experience working as interns to develop curriculum.

​This is all part of our continuing mission as ‘Maine’s Metropolitan University’.” Full article available here.

Yet another USM event that highlighted the benefits of a metropolitan university, to both the university itself and the region, was the 2nd annual Husky Harvest, a celebration of cultural diversity.

Classmates, faculty, alumni, and the surrounding Portland community were welcomed to USM’s Tourism and Hospitality program’s Huskey Harvest where they took guests on a “trip around the world.”

Thanks to USM’s Food and Culture class and English as a Second Language students, attendees had the opportunity of sampling cuisines from all around the globe free of charge.Some Greater Portland restaurants also donated samples to the event. Not only was food available, but ethnic music and dancing, Henna painting, and origami demonstrations also gave guests the chance to experience art from other cultures.

​The Husky Harvest provideda glimpse into what USM and the Portland community have to offer and the kind of events that can be made possible when they work together in a more strategic way. Read the full article from the USM December 2014 Newsletter here.

These examples provide a better understanding of what a metropolitan university is, how USM has begun the transition, and the benefits it can provide to the university and the surrounding community.

By taking programs, events, and partnerships like these and making them the focus of the University,

​USM will undoubtedly be successful in becoming Maine’s Metropolitan University, ultimately benefiting the students, staff, local organizations, and the Greater Portland community.